Bike-borne snatchers rob women

A STAFF REPORTER

Bike-borne snatchers robbed two women in separate incidents on Thursday, adding to the tally of nine snatchings reported in and around the city in the past one month.

Romi Bardhhan, 45, a resident of Sovabazar Street in north Calcutta, was walking along CR Avenue around 5.30am when a youth riding a motorcycle snatched her gold chain and sped off towards Chitpur, said police.

“The victim was out for morning walk. After the incident, according to Bardhhan, she got so frightened that she could not even scream for help and slumped on the ground. She also failed to notice the registration number of the motorbike,” said an officer of Shyampukur police station.

There were few people in the area at that time of the day, the officer said. The police could not find any witness.

According to the complaint filed by Bardhhan, the chain weighed 3g and was worth over Rs 13,000.

Later in the day, around 1.30pm, two men riding a motorbike and wearing helmets snatched a handbag from Piyali Dutta, 26. The incident took place moments after Dutta had stepped out of a nationalised bank in Cossipore after withdrawing Rs 10,000.

“Dutta had kept the money in the handbag and was about to open her umbrella after coming out of the bank on BT Road when the two men snatched the bag and sped towards Sinthee crossing,” said an officer of Cossipore police station.

The area was crowded with commuters waiting for buses. Some even tried to chase the duo but gave up after a few paces. The woman rushed to a nearby police outpost and alerted an officer. The officer alerted other traffic officers about the duo, the colour and registration number of the motorbike but they failed to track it down.

“It looks like the riders entered an alley shortly after committing the crime,” said a senior traffic officer.

Body drown

The body of a boy who was missing since Wednesday was found floating in the Hooghly near Millenium Park on Thursday. Police suspect Sheikh Danish, 19, drowned while bathing in the river.